Friends
by SlythCommand
Summary: Written Sep. 2007, set during timeskip. Shino is injured on a mission.


The air was thick with dust from the collapse of the building, and Kiba knew he and Hinata were lucky to have made it out in time. The dust and raining debris were thick, clouding the air, fogging the scents in the area, but he could still smell blood-Shino's blood.

The tiny part in the back of his brain that was remaining rational was helpful enough to observe that he was panicking. He dug through rubble mindlessly, barely aware of Akamaru doing the same at his side, until he unearthed his teammate.

"Shino!" It was all Kiba could say, still pulling boards and chunks of ceiling off of his friend. A sharp board had pinned Shino through the stomach, and the Kikaichu were really trying to heal him, but they were leeching Shino's chakra to do it, and that didn't help. "Hinata! Hinata, help me!" He called, and Hinata stumbled over through the debris. Kiba foggily observed that she cradled a wrist to her chest, but she dropped to her knees beside Shino and began applying healing jutsus, checking the damage and trying to repair it.

"Kiba, I can't do this by myself. All I can do is try to stop the bleeding, he needs immediate help, or he's going to die. The damage is just too extensive and my chakra is too low." Tears cut a trail through the dust on her cheeks as she glanced at Kiba.

"Fuck, don't you dare die on us, you bossy bastard!" Kiba yelled, clutching Shino's arm in a death grip, as if he could keep his friend's spirit in his body. "Akamaru, you carry him, Hinata, do as much as you can for now. I'm the fastest out of the two of us, I'm going ahead to alert the medical staff." Kiba helped sling Shino over Akamaru's back, and then leaned down to whisper in Shino's ear. "I swear, if you stay alive, I'll never call you bossy again, so please, don't die on us." Kiba jumped into the trees and ran for all he was worth.

* * *

Shino slowly came awake, and it took a moment to realize he was in the hospital. The last thing he remembered was the building coming down around him, and knowing he wouldn't make it out in time. He wondered what had become of his teammates, and then it registered. Someone was sleeping on his arm, and his other hand was held lightly. There was a large, furry presence at the foot of the bed. Lifting his head a bit he saw both of his teammates asleep in chairs on either side of his hospital bed, Hinata holding his hand and Kiba using his arm as a pillow (and thankfully not drooling). Well. They looked tired, and still dirty from battle and the collapse, but otherwise okay. He lay back down and went back to sleep.

* * *

When he woke again, Kiba was sitting in the chair next to the bed, staring at his hands. He was clean now, and looked a bit rested. Hinata's chair was vacant, but looked as if it had just been emptied momentarily. Akamaru was now sitting by Kiba on the floor instead of on Shino's feet. Shino mentally assessed himself. Hospital bed, hospital clothes, happy Kikaichu, slightly sore body, sunglasses intact and in place, and teammates present or nearby.

"What happened after the building collapsed?" he asked, his voice gravelly with disuse, and Kiba jumped.

"Fuck, Shino, don't do that!" Shino only stared, waiting, and Kiba sighed, running his hands through his hair. "The enemy is dead, the collapse was just her last effort at taking us with her. She almost got you." If Shino had ever doubted Kiba's friendship, the look on his face now would confirm it forever. "One of the boards got you in the gut, and the Kikaichu couldn't heal it. Hinata tried, but she broke a wrist in the collapse and her chakra was low. She told me that even if she'd been at her full capacity she couldn't have healed it completely."

"We hurried you here and a team of medic nin helped heal you. You've been sleeping off the strain of the massive healing."

"How long?" Shino asked, staring at the ceiling.

"A full day in healing, and two days recovery so far. Hinata just went to go get some food from the cafeteria, she'll be glad you're awake. We were all really worried, even Akamaru was upset."

"How is her wrist? Did you sustain any injuries?" The fluorescent light glinted off Shino's glasses as he turned to look at Kiba and Akamaru.

"Her wrist is fine, Sakura-chan healed it and wrapped it, so it twinges a bit but it's movable. Akamaru and I are fine, no injuries." Though Kiba had to be treated for hysteria upon his return, only worsened by the fact he was forced to stay in the hospital while medics went to meet Hinata, Shino, and Akamaru. He didn't want Shino to know that, though. It seemed embarrassing.

"Go home," Shino said quietly, taking in the dark circles around Kiba's eyes and the slight shake in his hands.

"You bossy-" Kiba yelled, coming up out of his chair, and then suddenly stopped. "Sorry," he said, slumping into his seat. Shino's brows drew down in question, and Kiba smiled sheepishly, hands dangling between his legs. "I promised you if you didn't die I would never call you bossy again."

"A Kiba who doesn't call me bossy," Shino mused aloud, turning back to look at the ceiling, "is not the Kiba I am friends with." Kiba sat in a stunned silence until Hinata opened the door with a sigh.

"Here, Kiba," she said, depositing a bento box from the cafeteria in his lap. She bent and gave Akamaru a bone "From Hana-san," and then carried two more bento boxes to her seat, "In case Shino is hungry when he wakes up."

"Thank you, Hinata," Shino said, and Hinata jumped, a hand going to her throat.

"Oh, Sh-Shino! How are you feeling?" Setting the bento boxes down in her chair she came and checked him over. "Mm, your body is just about adjusted to that healing. Are you in any pain? Feel light headed? Nauseous?"

"I feel fine, Hinata."

"Are you hungry?" His stomach rumbled before he could answer. Kiba laughed (it hadn't been a very dignified rumble) and Hinata smiled gently as she brought Shino his bento and sat to eat hers.

"Itadakimasu," Kiba said, and dug in. Shino looked at his teammates and a slight smile curved his mouth.

"Thank you both," he said, and his teammates understood they were being thanked for saving his life.

"You're our friend, Shino," Hinata said, blushing into her lunch.

"We aren't letting you die on our watch." Akamaru gave a whuffling sigh in agreement.


End file.
